Listen to the Call:

Transcript:

RECORDING: Thank you for calling Kenmore Planned Parenthood. Please listen to all the following options before making your selection. Our options include recorded messages for hours, directions and after-hour emergencies. You can press zero at any time to speak to — (dial sound) Please hold for the operator. (ringing 3X)

CLINIC: Kenmore. Can you hold, please?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Thank you. Thanks for holding. How can I help you?

CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there?

CLINIC: Yes, we do.

CALLER: Oh. How much does that cost?

CLINIC: It’s going to be based on your income.

CALLER: The thing is, I’m going to be 14 in March and I don’t have an income.

CLINIC: Okay. Then it’s probably about $350.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: What I recommend is that you apply for medical coupons.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: That way it will pay for the abortion.

CALLER: Well, do you know — I’m just kind of scared because like my friend told me you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of it and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody about anything?

CLINIC: You had some questions about abortion? Jenna was — she’s back making appointment. You’re 13?

CALLER: Huh?

CLINIC: You’re 13?

CALLER: Yeah. Well, I’ll be 14 on the 9th. But I was wondering if they would have to tell my parents.

CLINIC: There’s no legal law we cannot tell your parents anything about having an abortion. It doesn’t matter how old you are.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: We have strict confidentiality here.

CALLER: It’s just my boyfriend’s 22. Would he be able to take are of everything though?

CLINIC: Yeah.

CALLER: He said he would pay for everything and — like when we were talking about it he said that he would pay for everything. It’s just we don’t want a whole bunch of people to know about us. Would he have to sign anything if he was paying for it all?

CLINIC: Well, here’s the deal. It’s up to you if you want to tell us his age when you come in.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: You know? I mean, he can sign things. That doesn’t mean we’re asking how old he is.

CALLER: Oh. Okay.

CLINIC: You know what I mean? Like if he has to a credit card or something like that, we’re not going to ask how old he is.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: You know? If you want to give that information out you can, but then we’re going to have to deal with a whole other ball of wax.

CALLER: What do you mean?

CLINIC: Well, technically, you know, you’re a minor and he’s not, so we are responsible by law to deal with that if you if you tell us that.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Right now you don’t have to — whatever we’re talking about doesn’t count because I don’t know you, don’t know your name. You can come in and I won’t know if you’re the person I talked to because I don’t — don’t worry about it right now.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: But when you come in, first thing is, we will not contact your parents whatsoever unless you sign a document telling us you want us to. Don’t worry about that. You can have an abortion, and that’s fine.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: As far as the age thing goes, it’s up to you if you disclose that information to us, like if you tell us that your boyfriend is 22 then we have to talk to you about it.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: I don’t –

CALLER: Just don’t — I don’t want him to get in trouble.

CLINIC: Right, because there’s laws around that, and they don’t — you know, they don’t apply — you know, they don’t always apply to everybody, but we have to by law deal with it.

CALLER: Okay. How long does it take to get an abortion?

CLINIC: You would be at the clinic 3 to 4 hours. The abortion takes about 3 to 4 minutes.

CALLER: Okay. It’s just, I would have to — my boyfriend would have to take me. I wouldn’t have any other way to get there. Would that be all right if he was there with me though?

CLINIC: Oh, yeah.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Like I said, it’s up to you if you tell us. We’re not going to ask you.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: I mean, you give us whatever information you want. We don’t know if you’re telling the truth or not anyway.

CALLER: Oh, all right.

CLINIC: We just go with what you tell us. We’ll ask what your age is and you have to put it down on the form. But we don’t ask him any personal questions unless you tell us. Then if you tell us he’s 22, I mean, you know, then we know. But. You see what I’m saying?

CALLER: Yeah. Well, the main reason why I’m calling is, the main reason why I’m worried about all this is because like I haven’t had my period since like December 26, and we’re just really worried. So –

CLINIC: Have you taken a pregnancy test?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: You should probably come in and do that first.

CALLER: Oh, all right.

CLINIC: Because of your age, it’s very common to skip your period.

CALLER: Oh. All right.

CLINIC: Do you guys use any kind of birth control?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: No? Do you have sexual intercourse like on a regular basis?

CALLER: Well, yeah.

CLINIC: A couple times a week, whatever?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: You could be pregnant. So, yeah, you should probably — you can come in here. We do it on a walk-in. You don’t have to pay. And then we’ll do the test and find out first.

CALLER: Okay. If it turned out that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control?

CLINIC: Oh, for sure. Yeah, definitely. We can give that to you.

CALLER: Okay. Well, would anyone have to know about birth control?

CLINIC: Huh?

CALLER: Would anyone have to know if I was on birth control though?

CLINIC: No. There’s nothing. You can come here and be seen for anything you want to, and we don’t have to tell your parents.

CALLER: Okay. The thing is, since I can’t drive, would my boyfriend be able to pick up like the birth control pills though?

CLINIC: If you give us his first name.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And tell us that.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Our only concern is that, you know with such a huge age difference, you know making sure that you’re safe and that you’re choosing to be in this relationship.

CALLER: Well, yeah.

CLINIC: You know? And that you know –

CALLER: I mean, we’re in love. We’re going to get married. It’s just, we can’t have a kid right now.

CLINIC: Right. Okay. Do your parents know that you guys are together?

CALLER: Yeah. I mean, he works with my dad. But they don’t know we’re having sex. I mean, if they found out about that, I don’t know what they would do. So they just — they can’t find out at all.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: So you sure you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: Not if you don’t tell us.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: We only go with what you tell us.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: You can tell us he’s 16. I don’t know. (laughs)

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: You know?

CALLER: You’ve been so nice. I wish I could talk to my mom like this.

CLINIC: Yeah. We do have a counselor here if you need to talk with a counselor; at any point you can.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: But come in for that pregnancy test first. I mean, it’s silly to even put the cart before the horse if you’re not pregnant. I mean, then we don’t need to worry about that.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: You know what I mean?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: I think you should get the test, find out, and then decide what you want to do on that. My name’s Amy.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: I’m here most of the time.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And you can talk to me. I can do your tests for you if I’m here.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Okay, thanks.

CLINIC: Is that helpful?

CALLER: Yes, thank you.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Bye

CALLER: Bye.

(phone clicks)

***THE END***

for parents

cases

the attorney project

The information contained in this web site provides an overview of the laws across the United States and is offered as a general information to educate the public. This information should not be considered, nor is it intended as, a substitute for advice from an attorney. Only an attorney licensed or permitted to practice law in the State in which you live or where the injury occurred may represent you and present any claim on your behalf.